Are old Mikimoto pearls worth anything?

Are old Mikimoto pearls worth anything?

Mikimoto pearls are investment quality pearls. They will hold their value and increase, like a Steinway Piano, which increases in value each year.

How do I tell what kind of pearls I have?

Use a jeweler’s loupe to examine the pearls. If each pearl on the strand is identical, they are not natural pearls. Look inside the pearl’s drill hole with a jeweler’s loupe. If you notice a dark line that separates the nacre from the bead nucleus, it is a cultured pearl.

Are Mikimoto pearls always knotted?

There may be knots between each pearl, most authentic Mikimoto Pearl necklaces will be strung with knots in between each pearl. There was a time, however, that Mikimoto pearls had sterling silver clasps, circa 1968 although the sterling clasps always had the signature logo.

Are Akoya pearls the same as Mikimoto pearls?

Only the Akoya cultured pearls with the highest quality and luster can be bestowed with the name “Mikimoto Pearl.”

What is the mark for Mikimoto pearls?

All Mikimoto jewellery is marked either with Mikimoto or the trade mark M in an Akoya oyster shell and either a silver or gold mark. The silver marks vary from S, SIL, Sterling, Silver, 950. If it is not marked with a Mikimoto mark it cannot be said to be genuine.

What do Mikimoto pearls cost?

Mikimoto Akoya pearls can range from as low as $300 for a pair of 7.0mm Akoya pearl stud earrings to as high as $500,000 or more depending on the pearls and the collections you are looking at.

What kind of pearls are most valuable?

For example, Akoya pearls can only grow to about 9 or 10 millimeters in diameter, but South Sea pearls and black Tahitian pearls can reach a diameter of around 15 or 16 millimeters. The larger size makes South Sea pearls and black pearls the most valuable type of pearl.

Why are Mikimoto pearls so expensive?

Other scientists and entrepreneurs were working on culturing pearls at the time but Mikimoto did the work and bought the patents from the work of other scientists. By 1893 he had his first cultured pearl. They are rarer and therefore they are a lot more expensive than their cultured pearl counterparts.

What type of pearls are Mikimoto?

Mikimoto is one of the finest producers of Akoya pearls in the world and is widely recognized as the most prestigious pearl retailer in the industry. While Mikimoto’s reputation for providing its clients with top-quality pearls is irrefutable, they also charge a considerable premium for their Mikimoto brand.

What are the grades of Mikimoto pearls?

There are four Mikimoto grades: A, A+, AA and AAA, with AAA being the highest quality. There are also four sub-grades: A1, A+1, AA1 and AAA1. The “1” represents a slightly more blemished surface.

How to know that your pearl jewelry is authentic Mikimoto?

How do I know that my pearl jewelry is authentic Mikimoto? Mikimoto jewelry is identified by the Mikimoto trademark, showing as the outline of an oyster or the engraving of the Mikimoto name. On necklaces and bracelets, look on the back of the clasp. Mikimoto necklaces and bracelets are also fitted with a signature “M” charm.

How to tell if it is a real Mikimoto?

A friend aquired a pearl choker from an estate in a box with Mikimoto papers inside and a receit of sale. It was purchased in Hong kong in 1968. They are 6mm pearls about 16” long with a sterling pearl clasp. The pearls are not knotted in between each, just strung.

Which is the highest grade of Mikimoto pearls?

Mikimoto Pearls Mikimoto pearls are the highest grade of cultured pearls available. Mikimoto pearls were first created by Kokichi Mikimoto in 1893 after years of painstaking research and trials using an implanted core to Akoya oyster shells. The oysters built up layers of nacre creating cultured pearls more quickly than a natural pearl would grow.

How big are the pearls on a Mikimoto choker?

They are 6mm pearls about 16″ long with a sterling pearl clasp. The pearls are not knotted in between each, just strung. There is no “M” stamp or any other mark indicating that it is a Mikimoto besides the papers that came with it. It is in a Mikimoto original box. Should the choker be stamped with the “M” the most…